MANILA, Philippines — Feast on “dilis” fortified with malunggay powder and smoked “tamban” enhanced by herbs and spices.

The Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) will soon make these products available in the market after it bankrolled projects being undertaken by the Southern Luzon State University-Judge Guillermo Eleazar Campus (SLSU-JGE) in Tagkawayan, Quezon.

Malunggay contains iron, vitamin A and a host of other micronutrients and has been proven to have anti-cancer agents.

Traditional Philippine herbs and spices are also known to have curative properties, BAR said.

By developing new food products boosted by medicinal additives from malunggay and local herbs and spices, including the small domestic garlic varieties that are more potent than imported ones, BAR hopes to create a market segment among the health conscious and those who prefer organic products.

BAR director Nicomedes Eleazar said funds for research, development and extension (RDE) from the National Technology Commercialization Project (NTCP) will be poured into the project, which is designed to optimize the agribusiness potentials of the traditional herbs and spices.

The project, entitled “Production, Processing, and Marketing of Herbs and Spices,” was formally initiated with the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between Eleazar and SLSU-JGE College Administrator Cesar Nazareno.